


Secret (Love) Language

by Symph95



Category: SK8 the Infinity (Anime)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Cherry and Joe being the best role models, Falling In Love, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, Idiots in Love, Langa uses english to hide his feelings, Light Angst, Love Confessions, M/M, Miscommunication, Pining, Reki is trying his best, happy birthday langa
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-08
Updated: 2021-02-19
Packaged: 2021-03-14 05:14:52
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,873
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29290443
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Symph95/pseuds/Symph95
Summary: Langa is fluent in English, but not his feelings.or Langa realizes he likes Reki, but doesn't know how to say it except in English.
Relationships: Hasegawa Langa/Kyan Reki, Nanjo Kojiro | Joe/Sakurayashiki Kaoru | Cherry Blossom
Comments: 33
Kudos: 1469





	1. Realization

**Author's Note:**

> Well hello there!! Happy birthday Langa! You have been in my life for five weeks and I would die for you. Anyways, I hope you all enjoy this!

“You’re using English again,” Reki said. “So you’re hiding something from me.”

Langa stopped playing at the wheels of his board to look up. The sun dwindled overhead, purples and blues splashing across the sky as night pressed its lips to the day. Faint rays caught on the metal of the skatepark’s ramps and rails, blazing in Langa’s eyes with a final glory. He squinted finding Reki’s face pinched in a pout. Slowly, he blinked.

The words slipped from his tongue when Reki claimed that it would be impossible for him to nail his latest trick by tomorrow. He didn’t necessarily think that would be the case, muttering a _liar_ under his breath. Yet, his mind didn’t catch up with the words until Reki pointed them out, nor did he notice his growing habit.

“Really?” Langa asked. 

“Yeah, all the time,” Reki said. “Earlier you said something about me having a _unique_ face.”

Langa winced at the butchered word. It came out sounding more like uni ‘q’. 

“I don’t do it all the time.”

“You definitely do. I can recall ten at the very least.”

“Do you even know what they mean?”

Reki stopped talking; instead, he started toying at the rainbow sticker on his board. 

“Well no.”

“Then don’t worry about it,” Langa said. “If it was important I’d tell you.”

Reki’s expression softened at that. His eyes melting into soft crescents with a shimmering smile collecting all the fading swaths of light. Langa averted his gaze before Reki could open his eyes. His body inched a millimeter closer. 

“Alright then! Let’s head out, I’m starving!” Reki said pumping his hands in the air. Langa looked down at his board and the half pipe.

“I wanna do–“

His stomach cut him off, giving a loud rumble. He stared down, mind warring with his body. When he looked up, he met Reki’s eyes, and the sound of a chiming bell of laughter filled the air.

“What’s up with that? Come on lets go before your stomach gets any louder.”

Langa’s lips pursued, but watching Reki’s bemused smirk and bouncy stride, he softened down to his core.

Reki chose to eat at their typical spot. The italian restaurant kindly had a bike rack where they left their boards on Langa’s motorcycle and entered as the sun gave rest to the stars. 

Langa trailed behind Reki as he hollered to Joe about their arrival. At the usual call, Langa expected for Joe to poke his head out and yell at them to calm down and that he’d be out in a minute. But he didn’t hear that. In fact, he didn’t hear anything.

The nighttime rush Langa grew accustomed to disappeared, and in its place were empty booths and no waiters. Langa blinked and glanced over his shoulder at the sign. The typical hours were still posted, but the open sign faced towards him.

“Hey Reki–“

“Joe, we’re here!” Reki said, blowing over Langa’s statement to charge farther inside. “Where should we–“

It’s almost like a film how Reki stopped. His body halted, his face frozen. He gaped and blinked twice before twinges of red brushed his cheeks. Langa tightened his face and tilted his head forward. The pause button hit on him as well.

Inside the booth were Joe and Cherry wrapped together, hands splayed on each other’s waists and hair while their lips interlocked At least, for a small moment they were before their eyes flew open and they pulled apart quicker than a lightning strike. 

Langa didn’t mean to stare, but he did because something about it clicked in his chest. Maybe it was the way their lips fit together like puzzles pieces, or perhaps how their shape merged to one.

“What the hell are you doing here?” Joe asked, springing upright. “Didn’t you read the sign?”

“Yeah, but I thought it didn’t apply to us,” Reki said. “I didn’t think it was reserved for uh…”

“You better watch what you say next because if it’s something unsavory, I’ll make sure you don’t skate another race.” Cherry said. 

Reki swallowed his tongue.

Langa watched him for a moment, before turning back to Joe and Cherry.

“Well since you’re here, I’ll get something made up for you two,” Joe said, pushing away from Cherry whose eyes continued to roam over him. “But I’m charging extra. It’s after hours anyway.”

Joe bustled off, and Langa couldn’t help but notice the loosened state of his apron. He decided to keep his lips glued.

“While he’s doing that, I suppose you two need some sort of explanation.” Cherry said with a sigh.

“I mean yeah. Didn’t know you two were–“

“Watch your tongue.”

“Dating,” Reki finished. “I was going to say dating.”

Langa and Reki clambered into the booth while Cherry’s tapping foot grew restless. There was a pink to his cheeks that reminded Langa of his hair. It was full of life and something akin to love.

“So…?” Reki said.

“So?” Cherry said.

“How long has this been a thing?”

Cherry glowered.

“The dating, I mean.” Reki said.

Cherry sighed and relaxed into the chair. The padding squeaked underneath as he turned his head up as though the memory hung above his eyes.

“About three years,” Cherry said. “Unofficially.”

Reki’s lips fell. Langa just stared. 

“It was pretty on and off at the beginning but now…” Cherry looked back into the kitchen. “It’s better. We’ve made adjustments according to each other, so I think we’re on a steady path.”

“Adjustments?” Langa asked.

The padding squeaked again as Cherry brought his head down. 

“Relationships are complicated,” he said. “Communication between each other can be quite difficult, but is simultaneously necessary for the relationship to work. We weren’t on that page for a while. Now, I think we are.”

Langa blinked, staring down into his lap. He messed with the little seams running down his leg in matching strands.

“How did you know you liked him?” Reki asked. “You two kind of seemed like you hated each other.” 

Langa spared a glance upwards. Reki’s face glowed with curiosity. It took a second for Langa to look back towards Cherry.

“That was the side effect of our emotions. We didn’t know how to handle what we felt,” Cherry said. “See, there was a pull of sorts. In a room, only he mattered. I wanted to spend all my time with him. I wanted to be with him. Even when we bickered back then, I enjoyed his attention. Over time, it all piled on me, and, after much denial, I realized that he was different.

“And here we are.”

A key clicked into place in Langa’s heart. It shuddered within him, waking hidden information from a slumber so deep it could’ve been eternal. As blood pumped through him, Langa pulled his arm closer. His skin brushed Reki’s jacket and blazed with a fire.

He blinked once, twice, and a third time.

“Wow you’ve really got it bad.” Reki said. His laugh drifted into Langa’s gut where it burned.

“And these are the reasons we didn’t want to inform you,” Cherry said. “Especially you. So listen here, if you mutter a word of this to anyone not present here, I will personally ensure that your board is drowning in the ocean. Do you hear me?”

“Yes sir!” Reki said.

Langa’s eyes turned back to Reki, taking in the small details of his face. The more he looked, the more detailed it became, drawing in every piece of Langa’s attention.

Oh.

Oh was this–

“Food’s ready!” Joe said, slapping down three pizzas. Langa lurched at the sudden movement, jolting from his head space. 

He didn’t eat much, or at least what he was used to. His stomach was all fluttery after Cherry’s speech. His mind churned over and over with new information. It was though there was a fence he stood upon, and on the other side, light began breaking through the mist. 

Did he like Reki? 

A cough came from beside him as Reki choked on his pizza. He gagged, Joe laughing across the table and telling him to slow down. Langa’s eyes narrowed, and he slapped at Reki’s back until his fit passed.

Once calmed down, Langa handed Reki his glass. Their fingers brushed at that moment and again that rush found him.

“Thanks, you’re a lifesaver!” Reki said, downing the glass in one gulp. “Unlike some people who’d rather watch me suffer.”

“You’re the one who barged in here!” Joe said.

Langa took another glance at Reki, before he looked down at his plate. His reflection greeted him in the grease, and his mind continued to churn past it.

Langa concluded he did in fact like Reki when, instead of spending his birthday with only his mom, he goes to Reki’s house instead. He stared at the invitation on his phone, and he _knew._ Because there was no one else he’d rather be with. There was no one else who mattered quite the same.

So Langa packed his bag for the night, headed out after celebrating with his mom, and rode under the starlight to Reki’s house. All the while his heart pounded with the knowledge rushing past his ears. 

He arrived early, ten minutes in fact, and parked his motorcycle at Reki’s gate. He grabbed his bag and board, walking in moments later.

“Happy birthday!” Reki greeted him at the door, throwing his arms over him in his typical enthusiasm. But this time Langa froze. It was only for a moment, but his muscles tensed as though electricity hit him. And it did, sparking through his toes to his head.

“Everything alright?’ Reki asked after he.failed to respond. “Anyone home in there?”

Langa pouted to reanimate himself. “Yeah I’m here. Thank you.”

“Don’t be thanking me just yet; there’s still a lot more coming for you tonight.”

And there was. 

Reki presented his homemade poutine dish for him, that tasted odd, but the thought alone had Langa staring in amazement. Reki’s sisters had baked him cupcakes, and his mother a cake which they downed after singing. 

Afterward their dinner, Reki handed Langa a gift wrapped in purple wrapping paper. Langa stared at it with uncertainty. He shook it once.

“Hey don’t be doing that!” Reki said, hands reaching out as if to stop him.

“So it's something delicate?”

“I mean _it_ could be. If you want to take that chance then you totally can.”

Langa smiled as Reki pouted, arms crossing over each other. There was a flicker of eagerness along Reki’s face that pushed him to swipe open his gift.

It was a wooden box, but upon opening it there were many items inside. It was like a little treasure chest.

There were all sorts of skateboarding accessories from small bearings, to bandages, to a little blue wrench with the Canadian flag and some stickers, one of which said over the rainbow on it. Then in the corner, Langa spotted red.

“I wasn’t sure what you needed for your board so I kind of bought everything,” Reki said, scratching at his face. “There’s even stickers since I don’t think you’ve put any on yet.”

“What’s this?” Langa asked, picking up the headband in the corner.

Reki froze, and the faintest snow of red covered his cheeks. His head dipped down and eyes looked away. Langa’s chest swirled with blue.

“Oh, I noticed that your bangs sometimes get in your face when you’re skating. I thought maybe that might help. You totally don’t have to use it or anything.”

Langa looked between it and Reki, noticing how they were matching. He smiled.

“Love it.”

Reki blinked a few times.

“Huh?”

“I like it.”

“Oh… oh yeah! That’s awesome! Need any help putting it on?”

Langa examined the band, about to dismiss it even as his heart ached at the thought of Reki being close, but he realized he didn’t know how to put it on.

“Yeah sure.”

“Great!”

Reki bounded over, hands wrapping around the band. He positioned himself behind Langa, pressing his body close with his hands pulling at the strap. Langa tensed, heat searing across his back in waves. His body unconsciously moved back, getting closer and attempting to fit into the space Reki allowed.

The band twisted across his face, brushing back his clumps of hair and moving them out of his eyes. Reki’s hands were warm near his face. Langa wondered if they were soft.

“Turn around I wanna see it.”

Langa complied, facing Reki. He noticed then their distance, or lack thereof. Their breaths mixed as Reki stared. His eyes were wide and shining like rubies.

“It looks awesome!”

“Really?”

“Well yeah. You look good in almost anything!”

Silence descended between them as Langa kept his eyes on Reki. A pull sounded in his gut; a need to be closer. His breath hitched and the impulsive part of his mind pushed forwards–

But his body didn’t. Because this was Reki. This was the person he wanted to be with. But what if they weren’t on the same page? What if their adjustments weren’t in place? Would he be back to spending his birthdays alone?

And even if that wasn’t the case, how could _he_ say it correctly? What did he know about communication?

“Yeah, thanks,” Langa said, pulling away. “I’m keeping it.”

“Awesome!” Reki grinned. “Now let's go put some of those stickers on your board. It could use a little spicing up.”

Langa watched as his Reki gathered up the box and sprang away. Langa wondered if he could hear the pounding of his heart. Maybe then he’d understand how he felt without saying those terrifying words.

It was two in the morning, and Reki passed out next to Langa. His faint snores carried through the room, light but still drawing Langa’s full attention.

In his hands, Langa played at his headband, stretching it and releasing it. He stared at the small dinosaur looking shape and sighed. 

He shouldn’t be upset. It was a fun birthday. He spent it with Reki and had his favorite dish and ate cake and talked skateboarding. But he still didn’t say what he wanted. 

He still kept those thoughts and desires locked up inside of him. And they didn’t want to stay there. They wanted to be spoken into existence; no, at this point it was a need. The words didn’t belong in his head, even if they were to change everything. But if he said them, he could never take them back. So as his heart screamed to let them out, his brain, for once, locked onto them holding them so he kept them back. 

Yet maybe… he could. Maybe Reki didn’t need to understand. Langa’s chest burst to say it, and he could in his own special way. 

“Reki?” Langa said. He heard no reply, except for the buzzing in his heart so he sucked in a breath. “Reki _I want to be with you.”_

And as if a dam broke, the ringing in Langa’s chest rushed out before calming into a tranquil stream. He stared at Rek with that pull driving his thoughts and body. And he smiled because the words were there. They were in the air. He could say what he wanted to say, albeit in his own secret language. And maybe… someday… he could say it between them.


	2. Translation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reki decides to learn something other than skateboarding.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well hello there!! I'm back and I just want to say thank you guys for all the love you've shown this fic!!! I really appreciate it, all your comments and kudos were so sweet ;v;;;;; Anyways, here is the awaited second part and I hope you guys enjoy it!

Two books sat on Reki’s table, the one he was supposed to read, and one he actually read. Murmurs of the teacher filled overhead; a drone he paid no mind to. Those words were measly and weak, ones that passed through his head everyday. On his page, however, these meant something more.

He messed with his pencil as he moved through the book, leafing through unfamiliar grounds and letter combinations that only lit up a small part of his brain. Their definitions were lost in translation, but he was determined to discover the meaning.

Above the page flipping and the long tone of his teacher, a voice kept playing in Reki’s head. Days passed, but it remained a constant force. It demanded all his attention, with a soft tone so open and honest it begged to be heard.

Reki’s eyes strayed to his right. Similar to himself, Langa had an open but neglected book. Instead, a phone sucked in Langa’s attention. His face scrunched in concentration, small stream like crevices pulling his face together. Under the table, his feet tapped and rose in motion with the video as though he were dancing in his own freestyle. Reki stared, his surroundings falling to watch as Langa mimed a trick. 

It took Reki a moment to notice his distraction before he turned back to the paper of unfamiliar terms. His face pinched, and he struggled to hold in the groan wanting to escape.

Days passed and still those words were stuck in his brain. They were spoken to him in the middle of the night; in fact, sometimes he doubted he heard them. But Langa said them, and whenever he spoke, his language had purpose. Besides, how could Reki dream up an English saying?

_ I want to be with you.  _

From the softness and honesty of Langa’s tone, Reki knew the phrase meant something powerful, but what he couldn’t say, 

He knew the ending and beginning,  _ I  _ and  _ you.  _ Various songs on the radio played those words in lyrics like  _ I love you.  _

But what did Langa want to share between himself and Reki? What was so important that he had to hide it away and only share in the most vulnerable of times?

Sadly, Reki’s English dictionary did not have the answer. He scrolled through the  _ WA  _ section but struggled to figure out exactly what word Langa used. 

The bell rang, calling students to their dismissal. Reki’s focus remained on the paper, trying to see if could possibly be  _ WAND.  _ The word didn’t seem to fit. Why would Langa talk about some magical stick? It didn’t pertain to either of them or their situation.

“Reki,” Langa said, starling him from his musings. “The bell rang. We should head out.”

“Oh yeah! Just a minute.” Reki said. 

He went to take one final check of words but as he did so his protective covering came down. Langa’s face hovered inches from his own, replacing his torn down school book. Reki jumped back; his chest tumbled at the sudden closeness.

Langa leaned closer, eyes locked on Reki’s for a pause before they flitted downwards. Instead of turning back up as Reki wanted, they stayed on the table.

“What’s this?” Langa asked, picking up the book. “You never study.”

“Hey don’t–“

“English dictionary?” Langa read from the cover. His body tightened for a second, his arms scrunching in as his face blanched. “What are you doing with this?”

“I wanted to learn some English phrases since you use them so often,” Reki said. “Wouldn’t it be cool to have our own secret language?”

Langa’s gaze turned cold blowing an icy wind down Reki’s back. Instead of handing the book back to Reki, Langa placed it in his backpack.

“I told you before,” Langa said, “If there’s something I need to say, I’ll tell it to you. Now let’s get going.”

Reki nodded, but he sulked down for a second, looking to the place his stolen book used to rest. His gaze shifted to Langa where he stood by the doorway, looking off into the distant with a blank gaze. Yet, underneath it a chill stirred, pulling his body tight.

Reki pulled his attention back to the present, concluding that Langa’s words indeed meant something he wasn’t yet willing to say.

“I don’t get it!” Reki groaned, bumping his head against the table. The thump echoed through the restaurant, but to his luck it was after closing and no heads turned. Instead, he moped with only his lukewarm food as company.

“Why can’t he at least let me keep the dictionary?”

Langa and Reki skated after school at their usual park, going over tricks and what not. It was fun and free as always, but when Langa went in for a kickflip, Reki noticed how his weight wasn’t distributed properly. His muscles were too tense, and he didn’t land it like Reki predicted. 

That was the first sign that something was off. The next was that he told Reki he couldn’t get dinner after. He said he was eating with his mom, but Reki couldn’t remember if he ever skipped their after skating meals. 

And the most unnerving of all was that he wouldn’t let Reki have the dictionary back. Even when Reki asked as they left he said that Reki didn’t need it. 

“You’re just going to look up dirty words,” Langa said. “And no, for the last time I’m not teaching you them.”

But even as he joked, his body curled in; his appearance made small. He clutched at the straps at his backpack where his book resided as though it was a lifeline. 

And the cold in his eyes still chilled Reki even as he sat in the heated restaurant. Reki wasn’t sure if he was more chilled by that or his lack of company. 

“I know that its after hours, but I still don’t want you shouting in here,” Joe said, sticking his head in the booth in front of Reki. “Ruins the mood you know?”

The wail of an Italian opera singer rang overhead. 

“Sorry.” Reki said, burying his face into the arms of his hoodie. He tried to gather his thoughts together and freeze the rushing heat through his veins, but the curled image of Langa intruded once more. He kept asking himself what made Langa so afraid? It was only a book.

The groan of cushions pulled Reki’s attention up to where Joe spread himself across the booth. His arms rested against the mahogany as he considered Reki with a half raised brow.

“Looks like someone’s a little upset.” Joe said 

“It’s nothing.” Reki said into his arms. “I’m fine.”

“You can’t fool me kid,” Joe said. “You don’t mope that often, but it’s pretty a virus when you do. Plus, Langa isn’t with you so something must be up.”

Reki sighed, staring down at his jacket the the threads on it. One line of stitching was frayed.

“Do you ever try to understand something, but it seems like whenever you try, it doesn’t go right?” Reki asked.

“What’s this about?” Joe asked.

The torn stitch grew larger.

“Langa said something to me the other night in English, so I don’t understand it. I tried to figure it out on my own, but Langa keeps stopping me even though he said he’d tell me if something was important. And this feels important. It’s almost like he’s hiding something. 

“I don’t know, maybe I’m just overreacting.”

Reki groaned and smashed his face into the wood, arms covering his head. A whistle rang overhead.

“The two of you really got it bad.” Joe said.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” 

Joe laughed and flicked his hand in the air as though to dispell an unwanted scent.

“Oh nothing,” he said. “So Langa’s hiding something, huh? I didn’t take him much as the mysterious type.”

“I didn’t either,” Reki said. “He usually says his mind, you know? Anything that’s important to him he shares, so I don’t get why he would hide something. He never does that to me.”

Joe’s smile softened like petals in the breeze.

“What?” Reki asked.

“Nothing,” Joe said. “Just getting reminded of something, that’s all.”

Before Reki could ask, Joe moved to his next point.

“So he said something in English that you want to know the meaning of? Well I got someone who can help with that. You know what he said right?” Joe said.

“Yeah, I do,” Reki said. “Wait, who do you know?”

Joe twisted around, hand going to grab his phone from his pant pocket. He pulled it out and with quick hands dialed a number seemingly by heart. Reki never saw fingers move so quickly.

“Hello?’ A voice came from the other side.

“Hey, Kaoru I need your help.” Joe said.

“Didn’t I tell you to call only in the case of emergencies?”

“This  _ is  _ an emergency. Poor Reki’s going to have his heart broken if you don’t help.”

“It isn’t  _ that  _ serious.” Reki said. But Langa’s avoidance and fear burned Reki’s chest in scorching waves. He didn’t know if he would be able to withstand the heat for that long. The empty space beside him was an abyss. 

“What seems to be the issue?” Cherry asked. 

“Reki here is having some communication issues with Langa.” Joe said.

“Really?” Cherry asked. 

“It’s not like that,” Reki said. “Langa just told me something in English, and I’m trying to figure it out.”

“Why do you need my help? Can’t you do that on your own?” Cherry asked.

“He took my English dictionary.”

The phone’s feedback cut. Reki wondered if the line went dead.

“Alright,” Cherry said. “Carla can help translate. What is the phrase he said?”

Reki toyed at the edges of his sweater before sucking in a breath and stopping.

“ _ I want to be with you. _ ”

Joe froze next to him while Cherry repeated the phrase through the phone. After a bit of rustling, Carla’s voice came through the intercom.

“ _ I want to be with you  _ translates to I want to be with you. In English, this could mean the desire to keep another’s company or the desire to be in a relationship with another person.” 

Reki’s breath caught in his throat. He feared his breathing stopped. Yet, his brain moved quicker than his lungs, processing the information and spinning it into long quilts. The blankets of thoughts were heavy, trapping Reki inside them.

So did this mean… Langa liked him?

He choked out a breath and a breezy laugh.

Of course, this was Langa. Something like this was big and new and unpredictable. It was like riding a skateboard for the first time with his weight distributed in such an unfamiliar position. It was terrifying. 

The call to check if Reki was awake, the two in the morning time stamp, the English itself. All of them cushions to ease his fall. 

“Hey kid, you alright?” Joe asked. His voice became an anchor that some part of Reki could hold onto to at least remind himself this was real. 

“Langa only talks in English when he wants to hide something,” Reki said dazed. “He wouldn’t just say something I already know. This has to be…”

_ A confession.  _

The restaurant grew hot as though all the ovens were turned on. Reki’s blood boiled, his hand coming to cover his mouth. He pinched it, confirming this was no dream. His heart rate spiked at that, and a wild grin tore across his face.

“Reki you–“

“He likes me, right?” Reki asked, turning to Joe with a face glowing like a firefly. “He has to. He said it in English. He does. I didn’t think he, or anyone for that matter. I gotta–“

A firm hand grasped Reki’s shoulder, grounding his brain that began spiraling into oblivion.

“Okay, okay calm down,” Joe said. “You’re getting a little hot there. Take a sip of water before we dive into this.”

Reki glanced at the glass. He swore Langa was in the ripples. 

“But Joe–“

“I said drink your water and cool down. If you keep this up you’re going to run off and embarrass yourself by confessing in the worst way possible.” Joe said.

“Listen to him, I would know.” Cherry’s voice carried through the room.

“Shut up,” Joe said. “It wasn’t that bad..”

As Joe and Cherry squabbled in the background, Reki tried to cool his head. The water did nothing except speed up his thought process. It couldn’t quench the shake of his hands nor tapping of his foot.

Langa liked him.

And he well…

He knew he had to do something about this.

“I gotta go talk to him,” Reki said. “This is too big to ignore.”

“Hold on,” Joe said, grabbing his arm as he threatened to get up. “Sit down a minute and just process it okay? ‘Cause first of all how do you feel about him?”

Reki stopped. He sat down and blinked twice, staring at the grooves of his hands.

How did he feel?

“I,” Reki started. “I think he’s amazing. He’s really talented and actually shares my interests, you know?”

Joe leaned back, arms crossing over each other. Reki shook his head.

“But it goes beyond that, I guess. I mean, he’s there for me. He’s different. I don’t how to explain it but whenever I’m with him everything feels alright. I don’t want to see him on edge cause it hurts me too. Like we’re one somehow. I don’t know.

“I just really want to be with him.”

Reki buried his head into his hoodie, his cheeks burning violently. In the dark edges of his visions, blue eyes and light smiles arose to paint the sky.

A laugh sounded overhead, and Reki peered up to see Joe laughing. He grinned with knowledge seeping into the corners.

“Alright then, I guess you two are on the same page huh?” Joe said. “Well then let’s figure how he’s going to get the relationship he wants.”

Reki watched across the skatepark as Langa tore through the half pipe. He grabbed his board, flipping it over in some fancy fashion. But Reki didn’t see that. Instead, his gaze focused on the red headband wrapped around Langa’s head and how it pushed his hair out of his eyes.

The red matched the flush of Langa’s cheeks from his hours of skating. It parted his hair and kept his sapphire eyes free to scan the terrain ahead of him. It was beautiful. He was beautiful.

Reki let out a groan and dropped his head into his lap. His heart raced, but his foot tapped faster. He licked his lips and repeated the words again in his head. He could do this. 

The crack of the board pulled his attention upwards. Langa grinned as his board rolled forwards before he dismounted in front of Reki. 

Reki stared at him. His hair blew in the breeze like flowers. Langa brushed a hand through his hair and pushed back the headband for good measure. Reki liked how it matched his. It was as though they shared something personal. 

“Reki!” Langa said. “Did you see that?”

“See what?” Reki asked, blinking to get his mind in gear.

Langa frowned. “My Rock n’ roll.”

“Oh yeah! It was awesome.” 

“ _ Liar. _ ”

Reki bristled at the tone. His foot began to tap again, this time at a much quicker pace.

“Sorry, I was uh… thinking.” Reki said. “Kinda got a little spaced out.”

Langa blinked. “Everything alright?”

“Yeah, yeah. It’s fine. It’s just, uh, getting late. We should head out.”

Langa blinked again. Reki hoped he couldn’t hear the wild beat of his heart. He stood to at least calm the tap of his foot.

“Alright,” Langa said. “Let’s get going then.”

Reki fell behind Langa as they made their way to his motorcycle. Overhead, the sky was splashed with purples fading into reds and blues. The sun started to take its rest, leaving a bit of light to catch on Reki’s heated face. He gulped and licked his lips. Taking a step forward, he grabbed onto Langa's hand.

The two stopped. Langa turned as Reki kept his head down and tried controlling his breathing. He could do this. He  _ had  _ to do this. Because these words deserved a meaning.

“What is it?” Langa asked, facing him. His body inched close, his turn slow and unsure.

Reki kept his focus on the ground a millisecond more, conjuring up his courage, before turning his head to meet Langa’s eyes.

“ _ I want to be with you. _ ”

Reki’s chest buzzed with the words in the air. His brain became dazed, the sun blurring Langa’s features. But slowly, his widened face came into view. Langa’s lips fell open and quivered as though his words caught in his throat.

“Reki–“

“ _ Romantically, _ ” Reki said. “ _ I want to be with you romantically. I want…. I want a relationship with you. _ ”

The words were awkward in his mouth. They came out in weird shapes, vowels scraping against the sides of his tongue. But they were free. And that feeling burning inside him escapes alongside it. The rush, the burning, the pull, all of it hung in the air. 

Langa stared, his lips continuing to quiver. His face kept shifting. Something passed over his features. What it was Reki couldn’t say. 

His hand fell from Reki’s wrist and pulled into his body. He looked down. Reki’s gut flared. Was this a mistake?

“I’m–“

“Did you hear me?” Langa asked. “What I said that night?”

Reki blinked. “Oh, um yeah.”

“That’s why you had the dictionary?”

“Yeah, it was. Sorry, I didn’t want to alarm you. It just sounded… really important. And you usually tell me that stuff.”

“Sorry,” Langa said. “I was scared, but I wanted to say it.”

“Don’t apologize,” Reki said. “I’m glad… I’m glad you did.”

Langa smiled. It was soft, barely pressed against his cheeks. A small fragile thing that Reki loved with every inch of himself.

“Me too because now I can say it for real,” Langa murmured. “ _ I want to be with you too  _ Reki.”

It was closing hours at Joe’s restaurant again, but this time Reki knocked before walking in on something unsavory. After checking that the coast was clear, he pulled Langa into the booth where they waited for Joe to take their orders.

The two sat squished against one another, their shoulders touching and hands entwined beneath the table. Langa wore his headband which Reki played at, complimenting again how good it looked on him.

Reki’s stomach fluttered as a small laugh twinkled from Langa’s throat. He still couldn't get used to the sound nor having it so close. One of the many great things to come out of their new development.

“You two get mad at us for kissing after hours, but you guys are just as bad,” Joe said, placing down their trays. “I’m terrified what would happen if I let you unsupervised.”

“Nothing like that would happen!” Reki said, his face blazing. “Only you two do stuff like that.”

“What sort of things are you implying?” Cherry asked, appearing behind Joe. 

Reki startled, letting out a slight scream.

“Just handholding.”

“It better be limited to that.”

Reki rolled his eyes, and turned back to the food. He began to eat as Cherry and Joe eyed over them. Langa ate next to him, getting a small bit of red sauce on his chin. Reki laughed at that.

“What’s up with that? Here let me get it,” Reki said, grabbing for his napkin and dabbing at Langa’s chin. 

His eyes lingered far longer than they should’ve, gaze locked onto Langa’s. His bewildered expression made Reki laugh.

“ _ You’re adorable. _ ” Reki said.

Langa pouted. “You stole that from me.”

“Of course I did,” Reki said. “After all, its our secret language.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ANNNND that's a wrap!! I hope you guys enjoyed this, it was so much fun to write! Reki and Langa own my heart now and are adorable. Anyways, I hope to see you guys soon. Thank you for reading and stay safe :DDDDDD

**Author's Note:**

> Why does angst leak into everything I touch? Fluffy birthday fics can't exist in my mind for some reason. Anyways, next chapter features Reki trying to learn something other than skating. I hope you all enjoyed, see you all soon and stay safe! :D


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